Orientation Day For New Members Of The House Of Representatives

Oct 15, 2013

New members of the House of Representatives have assembled in Canberra for an orientation session.

New Members

The new members – 23 Liberals, 6 Nationals, 11 ALP, 1 Independent and 1 Palmer United Party – were addressed by the outgoing Speaker of the House, Anna Burke. She reminded them of the privilege it is to be one of only 1,133 members who have been elected to the House of Representatives since Federation in 1901. For non-members, Burke’s speech provides a fascinating insight into the life of a member of parliament. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2013 Federal Election, A.L.P., Audio, Backbenchers, House of Reps, Liberal Party, Members, The Nationals Tagged With: , ,

Peter Slipper’s Statement To Parliament

May 08, 2012

House of Representatives Speaker Peter Slipper briefly presided over the chamber at 2pm today.

Slipper read a short statement that asserted his innocence of charges levelled at him, proclaimed his belief in the presumption of innocence, and decried trial by media.

Slipper then handed over to Deputy Speaker Anna Burke and left the House.

It was most likely Slipper’s last appearance as Speaker. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Audio, Gillard, House of Reps Tagged With: , ,

Peter Slipper Stands Aside As Speaker

Apr 22, 2012

Following newspaper reports yesterday of alleged misuse of CabCharge dockets and a sexual harassment claim, Peter Slipper has stood aside as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

 

With Slipper in the Speaker’s chair, the Gillard government has been able to govern with a majority of 76-73 on the floor of the House. If Slipper has not resumed his position when Parliament meets again on May 8, the government will have 75-73 in any vote, with Anna Burke in the chair and Slipper not voting. This assumes that the crossbenchers (Wilkie, Bandt, Windsor and Oakeshott) stick with the government. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Audio, Gillard, House of Reps, Opinion, Parliamentary People, Video Tagged With: , , , ,

Labor’s Twelve Days Of Christmas

Dec 08, 2005

Labor MPs sang an alternative version of The Twelve Days of Christmas outside Parliament House this morning.

Peter Garrett, Alan Griffin, Catherine King, Julie Owens and Anna Burke secured a spot on tonight’s television with their new lyrics attacking the Howard government’s industrial relations policy.

  • Listen to the song:

On the twelfth day of Christmas my PM gave to me:

the end of certainty,
much longer hours,
jail if I protest,
less time for family,
lots of lost conditions,
many bosses sacking,
no more penalties,

no rights at all.

No redundancy,
lower pay,
cuts to overtime
and a chance to trade away leave.

Filed Under: A.L.P., Audio, Industrial Relations Tagged With: , , , , ,
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